Variable feed vaporizing diffuser

ABSTRACT

A self-contained variable-feed vaporizer in the form of an elongated perforate tubular body member closed at the lower end and received within which is a substantially rigid cylindrical wick extending somewhat short of the upper end of the body member. A cylindrical bottle holding the liquid to be vaporized is received within the upper end of the body member to set upon the cylindrical wick, which bottle has a small central bottom opening for drippingly dispensing the contained liquid to the porous wick. Valve means is provided in the bottle cap to adjust the rate of inflow of displacing air to the top of the bottle, thereby controlling rate of liquid flow to the wick and the rate of vaporization. A telescoping sectional sleeve shield is provided for adjustably covering the outer periphery of the cylindrical wick for additionally controlling rate of vaporization and diffusion.

United States Patent 11 1 Surloff July 17, 1973 VARIABLE FEED VAPORIZING DIFFUSER [76] Inventor: Bernard Surloff, 1040 E. 33rd St., Pr'mary Exammer lloyd L' Kmg North Miami Beach, AttorneyErnest H. Schmidt [22] Filed: Oct. 27, 1969 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 869,692

A self-contained variable-feed vaporizer in the form of an elongated perforate tubular body member closed at [52] US. Cl. 239/51.5 the lower end and received within Which is a Substam [51] Int. Cl. A241 25/00, A611 9/04 tiauy rigid cylindrical wick extending Somewhat Short [58] Field of Search 239/37, 38, 40, 41, of the upper end of the body member A cylindrical 239/42 39 bottle holding the liquid to be vaporized is received within the upper end of the body member to set upon [56] Reierences cue! the cylindrical wick, which bottle has a small central UNITED STATES PATENT bottom opening for drippingly dispensing the contained 2,988,284 6 1961 Smith 239 54 liquid to the porous Wick Valve means is provided in 984,352 2/1911 Costello 239/58 X the bottle cap to adjust the rate of inflow of displacing 1,8 1 9 l v 239/43 air to the top of the bottle, thereby controlling rate of ,76 5 5 Meek 239/53 X liquid flow to the wick and the rate of vaporization. A g g telescoping sectional sleeve shield is provided for ad- 'ustabl coverin the outer eri her of the c lindrical 3,286,872 11/1966 Burd1ck,.lr. 239/58 x {Vick g additiognany comrgnisg rayte of vapyorization FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS and diffusion.

39,984 3/1932 France 239 43 1,151,974 7 1963 Germany 239/37 Clams 4 Drawmg l United States Patent 91 1111 3,746,255

Surloff [451 July 17, 1973 VARIABLE FEED VAPORIZING DIFFUSER This invention relates to wick type liquid vaporizing and diffusing devices and is directed particularly to improvements in variable-feed, self-contained, liquid vaporizing and diffusing devices for deodorizing, disinfecting or humidifying enclosed areas.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved vaporizing diffuser of above nature which will be entirely self contained, which will be readily adjustable as to the rate of vaporization and diffusion of the contained liquid, which can readily be manufactured of a minimum number of simple and readily available parts, and which can easily be reproduced in various sizes to accommodate the requirements both of the smallest room in the home and the largest of enclosed areas in commercial buildings, whether the liquid to be vaporized is for deodorizing, disinfecting or humidifymg.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates, in elevation, one form of selfcontained variable feed vaporizing diffuser embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view thereof illustrating details of interior construction;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the liquid container comprising the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a partial elevational view, with portions broken away to show interior construction, of an alternative form of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, reference numeral in FIGS. 1 and 2, designates, generally, one form of variable feed vaporizor embodying the invention, the same being comprised of an elongated foraminous tubular body member 11, which may be fabricated of perforate sheet metal or wire mesh, for example, to permit free passage of air therethrough, the lower end of which is enclosed by a cylindrical end cap 12. Received within the tubular body 11 is a substantially rigid cylindrical wick 13 which may, because of its length, be comprised of upper, middle and lower wick sections 13a, 13b, and 13c, respectively. The wick sections 13a, 13b, and 130 are of a highly porous and absorbent material, preferably being fabricated of a Styrofoam compoundedwith fibrous material or the like to exhibit such properties, as is known in the art. The upper wick section 13a is formed with a central conical recess 14 inits upper end for reception of the liquid to be vaporized and diffused, as is herein below more particularly described.

Removably received within the upper end of the tubular body 11 and seatable upon the upper end of the upper wick section 13a is cylindrical bottle or container 15, which may be formed of a tough synthetic material such as polyethylene, and which is provided with a small opening 16 centrally located in its bottom wall portion. The cylindrical bottle 16 has an integrally- 20 as a handle to bring the lower end of the through opening 21 into various degrees of alignment with the central opening 22 of the cap 18, for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

In use, the bottle or container 15 will first be filled with the liquid to be vaporized, whether for deodorizing, disinfecting, or humidifying, and placed in position as illustrated in FIG. 2. The contained liquid will drip through the container bottom wall opening 16 into the recess 14 of the upper wick section 130, whence it will be absorbed throughout the length of the wick I3 for exposure to moving air about the entire periphery of said wick. The drip rate from the bottle 15 can be controlled by adjustment of the ball valve spout 20 which controls the flow rate of replacement air at the top of the bottle as the liquid is discharged from the bottom opening 16.

As additional means for controlling the rate of vaporization and diffusion from the wick 13, a telescopingly adjustable tubular shield 23 is circumjacently arranged within the tubular body 11 (see FIG. 2). The tubular shield 23, which is preferably fabricated of thin sheet metal, but which can also be of a synthetic plastic, comprises an upper tubular section 24, an intermediate tubular section 25 slidingly received within the tubular section 24 and a lower tubular section 26 slidingly received within said intermediate section. The upper tubular section 24 is formed at its upper end with a plurality of outwardly-bent-over lugs 27 which hookingly engage the upper edge of the tubular body member II to retain the adjustable tubular shield assembly 23 in place. The intermediate and lower tubular sections 25 and 26 are adjustable within their respective upper and intermediate tubular sections 24 and 25, and are so sized and arranged as to be frictionally retained in place in their adjusted positions. Mutually adjacent end portions of the tubular sections 24, 25 and 26 are individually inwardly and outwardly turned so as to interhook when said sections are in their fully extended positions to prevent accidental disassembly of the adjustable tubular shield assembly 23. A wire bail 28, partially illustrated in FIG. 1, is attached across the upper end of the body member 11 as a means for hanging or suspending the device at the desired location.

In addition to controlling the rate of vaporization and diffusion by adjustment of the ball valve spout 20 as described above, it will be understood that additional control can readily be achieved by adjusting the length of coverage of the wick 13 by the adjustable tubular shield 23. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 2, shield adjustment is such that about one-half of the wick I3 is enclosed to reduce vaporization and diffusion by about percent. The fully collapsed adjusted position of the tubular shield 23 would expose substantially the entire length of the wick I3 for maximum vaporization and diffusion within the limits of adjustment of the ball valve 19.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative form of the invention differing from that of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above only in thatan adjustable tubular shield 29 is arranged circumjacent the outer periphery of the tubular body member II instead of about the inside thereof. In this embodiment, the upper tubular section 30 is the inner telescoping section and the lower tubular section 31 is the outer telescoping section. The upper, lower and intermediate tubular sections 30, 31 and 32, respectively, hookingly interengage when in their extended positions to prevent accidental disassembly. The embodiment of FIG. 4, because of access for ready adjustment of the tubular shield 29, is better suited to use under conditions necessitating frequent adjustment of the vaporization or diffusion rate. In each embodiment of the invention, the end cap 12 serves to contain excess liquid which may filter all the way down through the wick 13 before being vaporized. In such instances, after complete dispensing from the container 15, the liquid in the end cap 12 will be reabsorbed upwardly in the wick to continue vaporization and diffusion until all the liquid has been expended.

An important feature of this invention resides in the fact that it is very inexpensive to manufacture, while at the same time being well adapted to either household or commercial usage. The wide range of control over rate of vaporization and diffusion enhances its universal adaptability to use in the vaporization and diffusion of liquids for deodorizing, humidifying and disinfecting.

What I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device comprising, in combination, an elongated, perforate body member, means closing off the lower end of said body member, a porous, absorbent, substantially rigid wick member received within said body member and seated against said closing means, the upper end of said wick extending somewhat short of the upper end of said body member to define therewith a cylindrical recess within the upper end thereof, and a liquid-holding container receivable within said recess 1 controlling means comprises a manually-adjustable air valve in the upper end of said container.

4. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 3, wherein said container is in the form of a bottle having a reduced-diameter, externally-threaded neck, a screw cap threadable on said neck, and wherein said manually-adjustable air valve is in the form of a ball valve in said screw cap.

5. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper end of said wick is formed with a central recess for the reception of liquid dripped from said container and wherein said closing means comprises a cylindrical cup adapted to contain excess liquid filtering down through said wick.

6. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 1, including shield means for adjustably enclosing the peripheral surface of said wick for controlling the rate of liquid vaporizing and diffusing therefrom.

7. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 6, wherein said shield means comprises a plurality of telescopingly adjustable tubular members supported at one end from the upper end of said body member.

8. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 7, wherein said telescoping tubular members are arranged in an annular space between the inside of said body member and the outside of said wick member.

9. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 7, wherein said telescoping tubular members are circumjacently arranged with respect to said bodymember.

10. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 7, wherein said wick member comprises a plurality of transversely divided cylinder wick sections stacked one upon another. 

1. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device comprising, in combination, an elongated, perforate body member, means closing off the lower end of said body member, a porous, absorbent, substantially rigid wick member received within said body member and seated against said closing means, the upper end of said wick extending somewhat short of the upper end of said body member to define therewith a cylindrical recess within the upper end thereof, and a liquid-holding container receivable within said recess and seated upon the upper end of said wick, the bottom wall of said container being provided with a small opening to drippingly dispense contained liquid to said wick.
 2. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 1, including means for controlling the dripping rate of said container.
 3. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 2, wherein said dripping rate controlling means comprises a manually-adjustable air valve in the upper end of said container.
 4. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 3, wherein said container is in the form of a bottle having a reduced-diameter, externally-threaded neck, a screw cap threadable on said neck, and wherein said manually-adjustable air valve is in the form of a ball valve in said screw cap.
 5. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper end of said wick is formed with a central recess for the reception of liquid dripped from said container and wherein said closing means comprises a cylindrical cup adapted to contain excess liquid filtering down through said wick.
 6. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 1, including shield means for adjustably enclosing the peripheral surface of said wick for controlling the rate of liquid vaporizing and diffusing therefrom.
 7. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 6, wherein said shield means comprises a plurality of telescopingly adjustable tubular members supported at one end from the upper end of said body member.
 8. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 7, wherein said telescoping tubular members are arranged in an annular space between the inside of said body member and the outside of said wick member.
 9. A self-contained Liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 7, wherein said telescoping tubular members are circumjacently arranged with respect to said body member.
 10. A self-contained liquid vaporizing and diffusing device as defined in claim 7, wherein said wick member comprises a plurality of transversely divided cylinder wick sections stacked one upon another. 